After an amazing rookie season in 2024, the future seemed very bright for Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. However, after a 2025 that saw Daniels miss significant playing time, how concerned should those who follow the Commanders be?
What Does Jayden Daniels’ Future Outlook Look Like?
Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms is pretty worried about Daniels’ future outlook in the NFL because of his small size and frame. On a segment of “Pro Football Talk” with his co-host Mike Florio, Simms said, “It’s a worry; it worried people coming out of the draft, and it worried me.”
Simms further added that the small size issue for Daniels was something he had noticed during Daniels’ college playing days. “I remember watching him at Arizona State… and going damn, he’s got some talent, but damn, he’s more than skinny for football,” Simms added.
Simms also said that Daniels’ body profile is more akin to a basketball player than a football player. “It’s almost not a football body altogether. It’s the kind of body you really see more with a basketball player, right? Basketball players are 6’6″, 195 (pounds). Think about that Michael Jordan in his prime was 6’6″, 195. I am 6’5″, 235. I mean, I look like the Incredible Hulk next to him.”
For reference, Daniels is 6-foot-4 and weighs 210 pounds. Simms said that Daniels does have to be cautious with this frame, and added, “You are right, he’s got to be careful, and he’s going to have to maybe adjust his game a little bit. It’s not big legs, it’s not a big butt, it’s not broad shoulders, but he is an incredible athlete, and he’s going to have to use that to stay out of harm’s way.”
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Good news for Daniels is that he is very elusive and quick, which could help him avoid big hits in the pocket. However, Simms does raise a good point: with Daniels’ different frame, injuries could be an issue for him in his career.
Which is unfortunate, because when Daniels has played, he has looked very solid. Even though 2025 wasn’t as amazing for the Commanders star as 2024 was, he still had very good moments. Such as throwing for 231 yards in a victory against a Los Angeles Chargers defense that ranked 8th and got an 83.0 grade according to PFN’s Team Defense Impact Metric.
Those who have followed the Commanders for a while have seen this story before, where injuries have derailed the career of a young and promising quarterback. Robert Griffin III had a fantastic rookie year in 2012, throwing for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns, rushing for 815 yards, and scoring 7 more touchdowns while leading Washington to the playoffs.
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However, injuries plagued the rest of his career, leading to Kirk Cousins becoming Washington’s full-time starter in 2015.
If Daniels can still be healthy next year, things are looking up as the Commanders recently signed veteran Stefon Diggs. The veteran wideout did wonders last year with a quarterback from the 2024 QB draft class, as he was a huge part of Drake Maye’s breakout season with the New England Patriots.
Diggs will play alongside Terry McLaurin, who has already shown to have great chemistry with Daniels. There is a good chance that they together could become a great one-two punch duo for the Commanders.
Overall, if Daniels can stay healthy, things look promising for Washington, but staying healthy is a huge if, given his small frame.
